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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2008 > September > 24
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Brown responds to Bush speech on financial crisis
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (pictured), D-Ohio, responded quickly to President Bush’s speech on the financial crisis on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Here’s Brown’s prepared statement:
“I have heard from more than 7,000 Ohioans on this issue. It was clearly time for the president to address the nation. Now, more than ever, Americans need to hear from our leaders. Middle class families have played by the rules and paid their taxes. They don’t want us to give a blank check to the administration.
“I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find a way to address this economic crisis in a way that benefits Main Street, not wealthy Wall Street executives. Our efforts will only be hindered by injecting presidential politics into the process.”
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Here’s what Obama and McCain agreed on
Here’s a transcript of the joint statement that Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain agreed on in the wake of the continuing financial crisis and Congress’ effort to agree on a bailout plan:
“The American people are facing a moment of economic crisis. No matter how this began, we all have a responsibility to work through it and restore confidence in our economy. The jobs, savings, and prosperity of the American people are at stake.
“Now is a time to come together - Democrats and Republicans - in a spirit of cooperation for the sake of the American people. The plan that has been submitted to Congress by the Bush Administration is flawed, but the effort to protect the American economy must not fail.
“This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. Now is our chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country.”
Obama also issued these principles which he asked McCain to join him in supporting:
“I believe that several core principles should guide this legislation.
“First, there must be oversight. We should not hand over a blank check to the discretion of one man. We support an independent, bipartisan board to ensure accountability and complete transparency.
“Second, we need to protect taxpayers. There should be a path for taxpayers to recover their money, and to turn a profit if Wall Street prospers.
“Third, no Wall Street executive should profit from taxpayer dollars. This plan cannot be a welfare program for CEOs whose greed and irresponsibility has contributed to this crisis.
“Fourth, we must help families who are struggling to stay in their homes. We cannot bail out Wall Street without helping millions of families facing foreclosure on Main Street.
“Fifth, we both agree that this financial rescue package should move on its own without any earmarks or other measures. We have different views about the need for other action, but this must be a clean bill.
“This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. This is not a Democratic problem or a Republican problem - this is an American problem. Now, we must find an American solution.”
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House passes massive appropriations bill; Region garners at least $56.1 million
The House Wednesday, Sept. 24, passed a massive continuing appropriations bill that included a handful of earmarks for the region’s military installations.
Here’s what we know about so far:
$3 million for a Homeland Emergency Learning and Preparedness Center at Wright State University. The Calamityville Tactical Laboratory Project will provide disaster response training for both the civilian and military medical communities.
$13.9 million for a new Ohio National Guard Combat Communications Complex at the Springfield Air National Guard Base.
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McCain suspending campaign to deal with financial crisis
Republican presidential nominee John McCain said Wednesday, Sept. 24, that he’s suspending his campaign to return to Washington to deal with the nation’s financial crisis. He also said he wants to delay Friday’s scheduled debate with Democrat Barack Obama. McCain is also suspending advertising and fundraising, according to his campaign.
According to the Associated Press, both candidates held private talks about joining forces to address the Wall Street meltdown. The Obama campaign said they initiated the talks, but McCain made the first public statement calling for the two to rise above politics to deal with the crisis.
UPDATE: This is from Obama’s campaign:
“At 8:30 this morning, Senator Obama called Senator McCain to ask him if he would join in issuing a joint statement outlining their shared principles and conditions for the Treasury proposal and urging Congress and the White House to act in a bipartisan manner to pass such a proposal. At 2:30 this afternoon, Senator McCain returned Senator Obama’s call and agreed to join him in issuing such a statement. The two campaigns are currently working together on the details.”
UPDATE TWO: Obama, in a press conference, said he does not want to delay the debate. “It’s my belief that this is exactly the time when the American people need to hear from the person who, in approximately 40 days, will be responsible for dealing with this mess.”
What do you think of this decision?
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GOP launches “Biden Gaffe Clock”
While Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin continues to mostly avoid the news media, her Democratic counterpart Joe Biden can’t stay away from microphones.
Sometimes, to put it kindly, Biden, a U.S. senator from Delaware, stumbles. For example, last week in Maumee Biden said “we’re not supporting clean coal” and “no coal plants here in America.”
Biden’s boss, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, has made developing clean coal technology a key part of his energy plan, Biden notwithstanding.
Republicans have taken note of this and other fumbles and on Wednesday, Sept. 24, launched a new Web site, “The Joe Biden Gaffe Clock.”
Just to pile it on a little more, the McCain-Palin campaign also has introduced a new Web ad, “The Coal Miner”, to make sure voters know Obama and Biden don’t always seem to be singing from the same page. You can see it below but get ready for the Democrats - surely they’ll come up with their own political adventure - “Where’s Sarah?”
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Neuhardt accuses Austria of low blow; Austria accuses Neuhardt of lousy judgment
Sharen Neuhardt’s congressional campaign Wednesday, Sept. 24, accused opponent state Sen. Steve Austria’s campaign of smearing the Rwandan refugee that lives with Neuhardt and her husband just outside of Yellow Springs in an effort for political gain.
“Steve Austria knows his campaign is desperate and he will do or say anything to get elected, including cowardly personal attacks. He’s stooped so low as to attack Sharen’s family for standing up and doing what’s right,” said Jessica Kershaw, spokeswoman for the Neuhardt Campaign. “Austria’s errand boys pushed this cowardly attack and in doing so are attempting to make a victim of the Rwandan tragedy a victim again.”
Ishema Umuhoza, 26, a University of Dayton graduate, fled the Rwandan genocide at 11 years old. He came to the United States when he was 15. His first application for political asylum was denied - as was its appeal - without his knowledge, and the Neuhardts are working to get asylum for him.
In a story in the Dayton Daily News Wednesday, Sept. 24, Austria’s campaign manager said the campaign was reserving judgment on the issue, but said “harboring an illegal immigrant with a criminal record is a serious matter.” He was referring to four traffic violations as well as a recent citation for disorderly conduct in Yellow Springs after a couple reported seeing a man, apparently intoxicated, lying in the street.
Umuhoza has also been picked up twice before for public intoxication and currently has an active warrant in Dayton Municipal Court for one of those arrests, which occurred in 2006.
In an interview Tuesday, Neuhardt said Umuhoza was like a son, and described him as a wonderful young man who worked his way through school, but who remains naive about the U.S. legal system. She expressed outrage that he had become a campaign issue.
“This smear attempt is telling of Steve Austria’s true character,” Kershaw said.
Austria, a Republican, and Neuhardt, a Democrat, are running for the 7th Congressional District.
UPDATE: Here’s Brad Mascho, Austria’s campaign manager:
“As the facts of this year’s long case come to light, there are many concerns about the poor judgment of attorney Sharen Neuhardt. It appears she is knowingly willing to ignore the law and court records. As a sworn officer of the court, any allegation that Sharen Neuhardt harbored an illegal immigrant for several years is a serious matter. Questions about attorney Sharen Neuhardt’s involvement in his past and the providing of safe harbor to a person with active warrants deserve answers and more thorough scrutiny from the appropriate officials.”
“Our campaign learned of Sharen Neuhardt’s involvement harboring an illegal immigrant from the Dayton Daily News. Now it appears Sharen Neuhardt is attempting to divert attention from her own misdeeds by playing politics with the very important issue of illegal immigration.”
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McCain, Obama tied in new Ohio poll
Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are tied among registered voters in a new Ohio presidential poll.
A new InsiderAdvantage/Poll Position survey released on Wednesday, Sept. 24, showed each candidate with 46 percent, with 7 percent undecided and 1 percent supporting “other.”
The poll found McCain slipping from a poll released on Sept. 11 among several voter groups.
Among voters who identified themselves as “independents”, McCain’s advantage went from 51-34 percent in the earlier survey to 49-42 percent in the new one.
The survey was conducted on Monday, Sept. 22, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. For more on this poll, click here.
